


the stars buzz around me - all lovely and green

by Beb



Category: Thor (Movies)
Genre: Brotherly Affection, Brotherly Bonding, Brotherly Love, Fluff, Gen, Loki (Marvel) Does What He Wants, Loki (Marvel) Has Issues, Loki (Marvel) Is A Little Shit, Loki (Marvel) Needs a Hug, Loki Gets a Hug (Marvel), Protective Thor (Marvel), Thor is Not Stupid (Marvel), Thor is a Good Bro (Marvel)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-26
Updated: 2021-01-26
Packaged: 2021-03-18 21:06:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28998729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beb/pseuds/Beb
Summary: Thor accidentally found out there was a thief living among the people of New Asgard. He was determined to catch the culprit.
Relationships: Loki & Thor (Marvel)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 72





	the stars buzz around me - all lovely and green

At first he cast it off as a little carelessness, an error from his own part. He was almost positive he had shed the crimson cape, his favorite, off his back and let the fine garment drop off on the bed once he returned to his residence after he was done with the council meeting with Valkyrie and the rest of the members.

He re-emerged from the bathroom after a nice shower, wearing only a towel around his waist, to the emptiness on the sheet. Thor drew his eyebrows into a knot. Unless his sleeveless cloak shared the same ability with Strange's (and Thor was sure it did not) he very much doubted the piece of clothing could move on its own. But the truth was that it was gone. Disappear. Nowhere to be seen.

 _Perhaps you'd misplaced it and forgot,_ he thought, trying to regain the memories that might have gotten lost somewhere in that, quote Loki's words, thick head of his. He was certain he put the damn thing there, right next to the pillow. 

_Well, it's not here now, is it?_

Which was... irritating. At least a little. With a short temper that he had, Thor never liked it when he didn't know where his stuff was. But Thor also possessed the die-hard habit of never organizing things; his room was a mess in which he put his belongings wherever his hand could reach at that time. So it shouldn't be so surprising that, from what it looked like, he currently lost his precious crimson cape (as in, he had no idea where the fuck where he put it)

He sighed. On the bright side, it wasn't like he needed it right now. It would be just... good to know where it was, but in the end he shrugged and figured not-knowing-the-whereabouts-of-his-cape-right-now wasn't the end of the world. He could worry about it later when he needed it back on his shoulders. But for now, he was tired and he was going to sleep the night off.

______________________________

Thor never found the cape. When he next needed it he spent a good thirty minutes thrashing the room to no avail until he eventually gave up and picked up another one from his wardrobe. It was the same crimson cape, only that the shade of the colour was slightly different. A bit darker. And Thor preferred the old one. He was grumpy during the whole mission with his Avenger friends.

"Stop sulking like a moody grizzly," Loki eyed him judgmentally when they were flying above the ocean in the Quinjet on their way back home. "The task was a success. What more could you want?"

"My old cape," Thor huffed back in annoyance. "I cannot find it,"

"What's wrong with this one?"

"Nothing's wrong with this one. I just like the old one better."

Loki rolled his eyes. It resulted in Thor shooting him a murderous gaze. "Don't," Thor beat him to it, because he knew his unbearable brother was going to be a pain in the ass. "I'm not in the mood for it,"

"You are a very childish, oversized oaf." Loki went on anyway, disregard Thor's previous request.

The growl Thor made in his throat sounded precisely like a moody grizzly, but he didn't make any comeback nor did he physically kick Loki out of the flying vehicle (for a second Thor looked like he considered it) He simply clenched his fists and made for the other seat in the opposite corner, hoping Loki would take the hint.

The rest of the ride back home was spent in silence. Thor was somewhat grateful, though the way he saw — by the corner of his one eye — Loki continuously giving him that look was getting on his nerve. He fought back the urge to start a fight, knowing that would be exactly what his mischievous brother wanted.

______________________________

Thor gave it a second (or third) try once they made it home, searching for the lost cape to the same frustrating result. The thing was that, he'd pretty much torn his room apart, would've flipped it upside down if he could. The cape was just... simply not in the room which went against every possible logic when Thor had taken it off in the room. Misplaced, perhaps. But it still would have to be in his room.

Unless someone took it.

The thought crossed Thor's mind with no warning and it struck him paralyzed for a moment. It wasn't the possibility of his cape being stolen that didn't sit right with Thor but the idea of someone breaking into his house, his very room, and he hadn't the faintest idea about it until now. Sure, Thor's house — the one he shared with his brother — was far from the old palace of Asgard, but Thor would still like to keep it safe, as in, no one came in without his knowing, especially if the property-invasion or whatever went as far as his own bedroom.

What if it wasn't just some Asgardian or a thief (Thor wouldn't have a problem dealing with a drunk or a burglar) but an actual threat with ill intentions. The unknown was what felt so eerie to Thor.

He held still for yet another while, as though the intruder, whoever it was, was still here waiting to creep up on him from behind.

It was the thought of Loki — Loki probably asleep by now, curling in a ball on his bed, unaware of the possible danger — that snapped Thor out of his trance. If the intruder was capable of something... gruesome.

Thor had already lost Loki more times than he could count. He wouldn't — couldn't — afford losing him again.

______________________________

He was barely able to hold himself back from running. Standing in front of Loki's room, Thor meant to knock first. He was... too anxious, didn't want to waste another more second, so he simply twisted the knob and pushed it open.

It wasn't locked, which was a little relief. The room was dark, but with the moon shining through the see-through curtains, softly dancing in the rhythm of the wind coming from the slightly-opened window, Thor could see Loki sleeping soundlessly on his bed. With Thor's lost cape — the one he'd been looking for — as a makeshift blanket covering his body.

Thor was... surprised, sure. But he remained silent. It was Loki. (Of course, it was Loki all along. Thor should've known)

Loki was still unaware of Thor's presence, too deep in his sleep to be alerted. He made a soft little sound in his throat, like a child, then curled more in on himself, making himself a picture of a surprisingly tiny ball under the layer of his brother's favourite red cape. Tonight was cold, after all. And even if Loki, being a Jotun, was immune to low temperature, he still preferred it a little warmer.

Thor sighed eventually. He had no desire to interrupt Loki's much-needed rest or to be so cruel as to take back what was his and leave his brother fully exposed to the cold hanging heavily in the air. Though he did move, walking closer until his gently hand reached the cape before adjusting the garment until it was properly covering Loki's shoulders. This way it'd shelter him from the cold better.

He was about to retract back to his room when, half asleep, Loki shot out a hand and tugged at Thor's sleeve, murmuring something incoherent without quite opening his eyes. It was... endearing, how Loki let his guard down so completely in his most vulnerable state. Thor doubted he even knew Thor was here, or if Loki thought it was simply a silly dream.

"Hush," said Thor. His free hand, that wasn't held by his brother, moved to tuck a strand of raven hair behind Loki's ear. Eventually Loki let go and seemed to have gone back to sleep. His expression smoothed out, relaxed. And he wasn't so cold anymore.

Thor leaned down to press a kiss on the top of Loki's head before excusing himself with silent footsteps.

______________________________

"So," Loki trailed off in the next morning during their breakfast. "Have you found that cape yet?"

Thor lifted his gaze up from the plate to look. Loki had that innocent curiosity plastered across his face. It looked almost genuine, if Thor didn't know better.

Thor shrugged, and went back to finishing his omelette. Though he could still feel Loki gazing daggers at him, it was actually amusing knowing, in Loki's head, the little shit must be putting pieces together and realizing last night wasn't a dream.

Thor could hardly keep a straight face any longer when Loki blurted out, "I didn't... mean to steal. I swear I was going to return it. I just - it was just -"

But the truth was, Thor knew exactly what this was all about. He thought Loki had grown past that phase, he was just wrong. Which was okay. When Loki was a child, he had this habit of sleeping with Thor's clothing, whether it be his cape or the leather jacket, for it gave him comfort, should Loki were to bear any nightmare. Thor used to make a fuss about it until Frigga explained it to him, and he could never find it in his heart to be angry with Loki for wanting Thor's protection even though it came in a form of a security token.

After they reached their adolescence, Thor had believed that Loki wouldn't need it anymore, those comfort items. His belief was wrong, because, after Thanos, after the final battle, Loki's nightmares had never been more violent, and thus he sought out what used to banish the ill dream when he was little. Having Thor's cape with him felt like having Thor with him, and by having Thor with him, no harm could come to Loki.  
(Which was silly — Loki knew that, they both knew that. Having Thor with him never stopped Loki from falling into the abyss, having Thor with him never stopped Thanos from crashing his windpipe when they were on the Statesman ship. Yet Loki still needed it; the comfort, the belief that having Thor close to him meant everything was okay.)

"Keep it," Thor's gentle voice seemed to catch Loki off guard (of course, Loki expected Thor to be mad and start shouting)

"What?"

"It's okay, Loki. I'm not angry. I mean, sure, I wish you would've asked or told me, but I understand. You need it more than I do,"

Loki blinked. Once. Then twice. Thor knew that look, too — the vulnerability which would soon turn into anger from Loki's part, because Loki hated letting people see what Loki believed was weakness. At least Thor was right this time, because it took less than a minute and now Loki was snarling, hissing savagely at him like a feral cat.

"You - I do not need your stupid cape to help me sleep. I am not," but Loki was cut off when Thor simply stood up, rounded the table and, standing next to Loki who still seated on his chair, pulled Loki into a somewhat-awkward embrace with Loki's face against Thor's stomach and Thor's hand stroking the back of his head.

Loki, undoubtedly, tried to pull himself away. Thor didn't let him and simply held him there until he eventually calmed down and stopped fighting.

After the Trickster had apparently exhausted himself, he simply let his head rest limply against Thor. Thor continued running his fingers through Loki's hair and Loki made a soft hum in his throat like a spoiled cat.

"You will never lose me again," Thor said, voice soft but firm. "I give you my word, brother, you don't need the cape or anything else, but if keeping it gave you comfort, then you shell have my cape."

Loki didn't respond. He knew it was the truth, knew Thor would always be here. Still he couldn't really... help it. He unconsciously nuzzled his nose against the fabric of Thor's shirt, listening to Thor's promise, "you will always have me. Always."

**Author's Note:**

> If you folks want more of me, I am also available on [Tumblr.](http://bebx.tumblr.com/) Come chat. The inbox is open there.


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